High wind warnings were also issued for a large area extending from New Mexico to upper Michigan, including Wisconsin and Illinois. In addition to strong winds, experts have warned about a fire risk in some areas already affected by high winds due to dry conditions. “I think we also need to stop asking the question of whether or not this event was caused by climate change. All events nowadays are augmented by climate change,” said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini. “We need to be asking, ‘to what extent did climate change play a role and how likely was this event to occur in the absence of climate change?”’

Source: The Guardian December 16, 2021 20:10 UTC